Solving Gun Violence

While we often highlight researchers and experts, we have the opportunity this episode to share the experience of a person affected by firearm violence directly. In this episode of Solving Gun Violence, host Molly Schnellenberger sits down with former UVA football player Perris Jones, who lost three teammates in the November 2022 shooting at UVA. Perris shares his experience of the tragedy, the healing power of his teammates and the broader UVA community, and the lessons he has carried forward. He also reflects on a devastating spinal cord injury that challenged him in a different way. Today, Perris is pursuing a doctorate and working toward creating opportunities for young people to see and pursue possibilities beyond the circumstances they were born into.

For more from Perris, we encourage you read his new memoir, Ashes to Endzone: The Fight for Identity, Faith, and a Future Bigger Than the Game .

For more on the Gun Violence Solutions Project go to gvsp.virginia.edu.

Jens Ludwig, professor at the University of Chicago and author of the book Unforgiving Places, joins student-host Andrew Chand to discuss his book that argues most shootings stem from split-second decisions rather than considered calculation. This idea has huge implications for how our criminal justice system, education system, and communities as a whole address the problem of gun violence.

Buy Prof. Ludwig's book at UChicago Press.

For more info about the Gun Violence Solutions Project visit gvsp.virginia.edu

Ashley Xavier, Director of Violence Intervention Initiatives at the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association Foundation, joins host Bobby Doyle to discuss how hospital-based violence intervention programs (HVIPs) are reducing reinjury rates, supporting survivors after discharge, and helping communities break cycles of violence across Virginia.

For more info about Ashley's work please visit vhha.com and vhhafoundation.org

For more info about the Gun Violence Solutions Project visit gvsp.virginia.edu

Joseph Blocher, distinguished professor of law at Duke University and Second Amendment scholar, joins student-host Andrew Chand to trace the legal evolution of the Second Amendment, from Heller to Bruen, and explore what the Court's new history-based standard means for the future of gun regulation in America.

Duke Center for Firearms Law: firearmslaw.duke.edu

Gun Violence Solutions Project: gvsp.virginia.edu

In this episode, host Molly Schnellenberger speaks with Annette Anthony, Director of Outreach for the Central Virginia Violence Interrupters (CVVI), about their community-based approach to preventing gun violence in Charlottesville, VA. Anthony shares how her team of formerly incarcerated individuals uses their lived experience and deep community ties to interrupt conflicts before they escalate and respond to shooting scenes to prevent retaliation. Listen to learn more!

Learn more about their work at centralvaviolenceinterrupters.org and more about the Gun Violence Solutions Project at gvsp.virginia.edu.

Editors note: This conversation makes briefreference to Venezuela and was recorded before the recent events in the country.

This episode takes a deep dive into the illicit firearms trade between the United States and Mexico. We interview Professor Topher McDougal of San Diego's Kroc School of Peace Studies who studies the economics of gun violence through an international lens. In the conversation Dr. McDougal and student-host Andrew Chand explore the impact these markets have on public safety, what dynamics are driving the problem, and how you even measure a black market. Listen to learn more!

For more on Dr. McDougal: tophermcdougal.com

For more on the Gun Violence Solutions Project: gvsp.virginia.edu

Nina Vinik joins student-host Andrew Chand to discuss her organization Project Unloaded, which is shifting perspectives on gun ownership for teens. Project Unloaded is taking a different approach than many other violence prevention organizations by focusing on culture and narratives. Listen to hear about Project Unloaded's bold mission, the way they incorporate the perspectives of young people in their work, and how they use social media to disrupt traditional narratives.

More info about Project Unloaded: projectunloaded.org

More info about the Gun Violence Solutions Project: gvsp.virginia.edu

George Rivera founded Wartime Fitness Warriors to give at-risk youth in Charlottesville more than just boxing lessons. He created a space where they could build mental resilience and life skills that prevent violence before it starts. In this episode, the three-time Golden Glove Champion joins student-host Molly Schnellenberger to discuss what drives his work, how the program intervenes in the cycle of gun violence, and what other communities can learn from his approach.

More info about Wartime Fitness Warriors: wartimefitnesswarriors.org

More info about the Gun Violence Solutions Project: gvsp.virginia.edu

Chief Scott Booth of the Roanoke Police Department has squarely taken on the challenge of gun violence, and seen remarkable success not just once, but twice. After decades in law enforcement, he became Chief in Danville, Virginia, where he oversaw a dramatic 52% drop in violent crime, taking homicide rates from the highest in Virginia to a 35-year low. Now, in Roanoke, he's reduced fatal shootings by 55% and non-fatal shootings by 44%. Listen to learn what drove these dramatic drops and discover how your community could do the same.

More info about Chief Booth: roanokeva.gov

More info about the Gun Violence Solutions Project: gvsp.virginia.edu

Chief Scott Booth of the Roanoke, Virginia Police Department has squarely taken on the challenge of gun violence, and seen remarkable success not just once, but twice. After decades in law enforcement, he became Chief in Danville, Virginia, where he oversaw a dramatic 52% drop in violent crime, taking homicide rates from the highest in Virginia to a 35-year low. Now, in Roanoke, he's reduced fatal shootings by 55% and non-fatal shootings by 44%. Listen to learn what drove these dramatic drops and discover how your community could do the same.

For more information about Chief Booth: roanokeva.gov/1824/Department-Organization

For more information about the UVA Gun Violence Solutions Project: gvsp.virginia.edu